- Date
- July 2, 1989, 16:35 local (21:35 UTC)
- Place
- Austin, TX
- Injuries
- 1 minor, 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N888CGRobinson R22
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report June 28, 1991
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19890702019189A
- Case key
- 22886
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The pilot's improper inflight planning/decision, which resulted in a situation where he was unable to maintain adequate rotor RPM. Factors related to the accident were: high temperature, tailwind, and trees.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
According to the plt, the helicopter was at about 300' & 30 KTS, when the 'low rpm' light & horn were activated. He lowered the collective & applied throttle, but said there was no increase in power. Also, he noted that the 'engine and RPM were down to 70-80% and still married. Subsequently, he realized there was insufficient alt to recover and applied full collective as the helicopter hit the tops of trees. Additionally, he said that at no time did the oil pressure or alternator light illuminate. Aprx 15 mi ese at Austin, the 1550 CDT wind was from 170 deg at 15 gusting 20 KTS & the temp was 96 deg. At the time of the event, the helicopter rprtdly had a tailwind.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N888CG
- Reported as
- Robinson R22
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 536
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-B2C, 124 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Alan Smith, doing business as Rotorwing Services, Inc.
- Registered owner
- Rotor Wing Services, Inc
- Departed
- 3R3 · Austin, TX
- Airport
- 3R3 · Austin Executive Airpark
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 26
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Flight hours
- 645 total · 93 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 170° at 14 knots, gusting 20
- Visibility
- 15 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 97 °F, dew point 73 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- AUS, 15 nm away
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.
Other investigations on N888CG · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.